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Whether you're a die-hard Peugeot enthusiast or simply love the thrill of discovering top-notch automobiles, our expert reviewers delve into the heart and soul of each Peugeot model, uncovering its unique features, driving dynamics, and sheer charisma.
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MotorTranscript
00:00TURN ON THE VOLUME
00:15Now, our alternative car comes from a manufacturer
00:18that is no stranger to the world of small diesels.
00:22Those old Peugeot 205 diesels
00:24used to clatter on for hundreds of thousands of miles,
00:27but this, a 206 two-litre HDI, looks a rather different prospect.
00:31Not the same practical motor. It's got alloy wheels,
00:34spoilers at the front and at the back, and fog lamps, too.
00:37So could it be that the legendary 205 GTI
00:40has been reborn as a diesel?
00:57TURN ON THE VOLUME
01:07In a word, no, not really.
01:09Well, that's three words, but you know what I mean.
01:11Look at the figures. They speak for themselves.
01:130-60 in over 11.5 seconds.
01:1690 brake horsepower. Hardly a firecracker.
01:20Driving the 206, any of the 206s, not just this two-litre HDI.
01:24And you do realise just how complicated a thing a driving position is.
01:29Think about all the different factors.
01:31You've got the seat squab itself, the height and the angle of it,
01:34the rake of the seat back.
01:35Where is the seat, forwards or backwards?
01:38The pedals, where are they?
01:39Where are your feet in relation to your knees and the rest of your body?
01:42And the steering wheel.
01:43Is it out or in or up or down or twisted this way or that?
01:46In all, it's a very complicated sum,
01:49and it's one that the designers of the Peugeot 206
01:52got horribly, horribly wrong.
01:54The result is a truly awful driving position.
01:58Unrivaled, I'd say, in the car market today, for sheer discomfort.
02:10The two-litre HDI engine in the Peugeot 206
02:13only manages to generate 90 brake horsepower,
02:16but it is aimed at some serious fuel consumption, 56.5 mpg.
02:20But that's only good as the Polo, remember.
02:22Insurance is down a little bit, though. Group 5 is one lower.
02:29Where it falls down again, I'm afraid, is the interior.
02:33It's actually quite light and airy.
02:35For a small car, it doesn't feel dinky and cramped.
02:38But the materials used are dismal.
02:41It's so gloomy, not just the colour,
02:43it's various shades that don't entirely match, of black.
02:46But it's the texture.
02:48Somebody decided to use this rather thin and nasty plastic
02:52and then to imprint upon it,
02:54it looks like the pattern of an elephant's skin.
02:57It's not very nice.
03:04Where the 206 will always do well, of course, is in terms of reputation.
03:08It's always enjoyed a big following
03:10that all small Peugeots have from the 205 onwards.
03:18Well, if you can live with that driving position,
03:20then you've got to be sure, and you don't mind a rather shabby cabin.
03:24It does represent excellent value and it's certainly a good-looking motor.
03:27But if that...
03:28Think of a really important job,
03:30being in charge of a space mission,
03:31captaining an oil tanker,
03:32President of the United States of America.
03:35And the job facing the designers behind the new 205
03:38was more important than that, to Peugeot, at least,
03:40because we loved our 205s.
03:42OK, so, the Peugeot 205 is a little bit different.
03:45Because we loved our 205s.
03:47OK, historically, if you look at it,
03:49it wasn't actually until the arrival of the GTI versions
03:51that we really took it to heart.
03:53But when we did, boy, did we, it became an obsession.
03:57We love our 205s.
03:58So, the 206 was going to be a very important car
04:00and quite a crucial task in redesigning it.
04:03That makes it all the more remarkable, then,
04:05that Peugeot took the decision to do it in-house.
04:08They didn't commission Pininfarina,
04:09as they had in the past for the 205, for instance.
04:12And the result of that is this.
04:15And it's immediately obvious
04:16that this is no Pininfarina-style car.
04:18Where the 205 was clean, sharp and uncluttered,
04:21this is fussy.
04:22The front-end treatment, though aggressive and good-looking,
04:26it's got a bit of an overbite and a bit of a saggy bottom lip.
04:29And all these lumps and bulges over the car,
04:31for instance, leading up to the wing mirror,
04:33the kicked-out sills and around the rear end.
04:36And the rear end, particularly, well, if you ask me,
04:39I think it's got a bit of a fat bottom.
04:42But there are some nice touches around that lumpy, pumpy body.
04:45For instance, this.
04:48To protect it in a crash.
04:53These rorty, snorty vents might look like
04:56they're sucking in great gulps of air
04:57to feed a hungry, thrashing engine,
04:59but in fact, they're to get air into the cabin
05:01to keep it clean and fresh.
05:03They also incorporate quite a lot of pondom filters.
05:05And they look good, too.
05:07It seems that, historically, the UK has been seen
05:09pretty much as second-best when it comes to manufacturing for Peugeot.
05:12This is the first time that a new car
05:14is going to start being built in this country
05:17at the same time as they start to build it in France.
05:19So, for the Wrighton plant near Coventry,
05:21where they used to build the likes of Humbers and Talbot Solaris
05:25and Talbot Horizons and other such delights,
05:28it's pretty important,
05:29particularly when you realise the crucial nature of the 206 to Peugeot.
05:33But they didn't win the contract to build this car
05:35without a great deal of hard work.
05:40I DRIVE THE 1.4-LITRE AND 1.6-LITRE PETROL VERSIONS
06:05I drove the 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol versions.
06:08The 1.4 was definitely the weaker of the two, in fact it felt decidedly feeble.
06:13There was the mid-range there, but in all honesty it feels more like a 1.2.
06:18The 1.6 was stronger, with again more mid-range, it is an 8-valver, quite a drivable engine
06:24and quite useful around town, but certainly not something you'd ever expect to press on
06:28with, and certainly not something that is ever going to rev past about 4,500.
06:32The interior feels pretty well put together, it's all quite substantial in here, it's certainly
06:35not rattly and tinny like some French cars of the past in this class, and in this VLX
06:40version it's quite highly specified as well.
06:42We've got air conditioning, controls for the electric front windows, and a rather natty
06:46control behind the steering wheel for controlling your stereo volume and channel, but, and it
06:51is quite a big but, and I don't understand this, the whole thing appears to be afflicted
06:55with some unfortunate skin complaint.
06:57It's got this flaky, crinkle, knobbly finish, it goes everywhere, on the steering wheel,
07:02on the steering column, and I don't like it.
07:05It's like sitting on an elephant, it's like elephant skin, why?
07:12The 205 was the epitome of French motoring, that kind of charming, but unassuming, rugged
07:22utilitarianism, almost an agricultural prospect, and this doesn't have any of that.
07:28It's a much more finished car, it is a bigger car, it feels bigger, and it actually is bigger,
07:33it's quite a lot heavier as well, so over the bumps the suspension will iron out and
07:37soak up a lot more of the indentations and bumps in the road.
07:41It feels like you are driving a car a class larger.
07:45The engines are available, there's a 1.1, a 1.4, and a 1.6 petrol, and this, the diesel.
07:50All the petrol engines are pretty unassuming, pretty unremarkable, they're 8 valve, there's
07:55no multi-valve configurations, there's nothing particularly exciting about them.
07:59That said, there's nothing wrong with them, but you certainly aren't going to leap out
08:01of the 1.4 and imagine, great, here's something really special, there's plenty of mid-range
08:06torque as you'd expect from a small capacity 8 valve petrol engine.
08:11The diesel, as you'd expect from Peugeot, is quite a reasonable thing, but again, nothing
08:15desperately exciting, and overall, as a drive, there's nothing desperately exciting.
08:21It handles reasonably well, it goes through the corners quite nicely, if anything it tends
08:25to drop off as you push it in terms of speed, but then, these are not going to be thrashed,
08:29they're not boy racers, certainly not until we get the GTI and then we'll have to see
08:33what the suspension set-up is going to be like.
08:35The 1.6 petrol is slightly different suspension, in that it is dialed in to be a little bit
08:40harder, partly to cope with the extra weight of the engine of course, but you're not going
08:44to push this too hard through the corners.
08:46That said, there are no little interesting fresh tights to enjoy and play with in the
08:50driving, but that also means it's got no odd quirks to catch you out.
08:54You're never going to leap out of driving this car, run into the pub and tell your mates
08:58what a fantastic thing it is to run around in.
09:00It's not an exciting drive.
09:02It is, however, very good at getting you from A to B, very good at getting an awful lot
09:06of stuff, including people, into what is only a small car, but it ain't no 205.
09:24In all, though some may bill it as the replacement for the 205, that's not particularly fair.
09:31The 206 is a very different car.
09:33It's bigger, it's more refined and in marketing speak, it's a more mature product, but then
09:38if you look at the Peugeot range, it's a very different thing from what it was when the
09:41205 was first brought out all those years ago.
09:43It's not a bad car, but it's never going to be as exciting and as full of flair as the
09:47205, but then life isn't any more, is it?
09:51Right, Brian, this then is the second of our three cars for you, the Peugeot 406.
09:56What do you reckon?
09:57Well, I don't know anything about Peugeots at all, really.
09:59Okay, not a mark you're familiar with.
10:01Maybe you'll be so overwhelmed by such a driving experience.
10:05Yes, I might be.
10:06I might become a Peugeot person.
10:07It could just be the answer to all your dreams.
10:09All right, well, we'll give it a go.
10:10There's only one way to find out.
10:11We'll drive it and while we get settled in and get on the road, Ian has got some more
10:15details on it.
10:16Just stand back and admire the sexy, swooping, curvaceous lines of the Peugeot 406 saloon.
10:23All right, I'm being facetious and fibbing rather a lot because at the end of the day,
10:27the Peugeot 406 is a bit of a dull car.
10:30It's a rep's car, but if Brian wants a car that will sort of blend into the background,
10:35racking up those motorway miles, then this might be the car for him, especially if he
10:39buys it in diesel form.
10:41The 2-litre HDI diesel is a fairly new engine and in either 90 or 110 brake horsepower form,
10:46it will do around 50 miles to the gallon.
10:50So just think of the cost savings.
10:56Dull car outside, dull car inside.
10:58It's very, very bland, the inside of this Peugeot 406 saloon, but it's a very, very
11:02comfortable car and it's roomy too, plenty of space for all the family.
11:07Now this LX model is rather basic, to be honest.
11:09It has got air conditioning, but it's not got cruise control and one or two other goodies.
11:13So best to look around for a better equipped 406 to find.
11:17Now this 2-litre HDI model has done 30,000 miles and it's a cheap car at seven and a
11:21half grand.
11:22But I spend a bit more and find something a bit nicer and a bit newer, perhaps like
11:27a Peugeot 406 coupe, which is a far more stylish car available mainly in petrol, but recently
11:33in diesel form.
11:34Thank you, Ian.
11:35So Ian and so then to our experience of our second car.
11:37It's not quite as glamorous for you, is it?
11:40It feels incredibly practical.
11:42It feels like driving a shopping trolley.
11:45It's well, no.
11:46No, not quite as bad as that.
11:47It's more sensible.
11:48No, it is a very sensible car and it's, you know, you can't complain about it.
11:52There are some key differences here that we've got to find out your opinion on.
11:55Firstly, it's not an automatic anymore, it's back to a five-speed manual.
11:58Yeah, yeah.
11:59Problem, work around it.
12:00Not really.
12:01I mean, I hadn't even really thought about that funnily enough.
12:04And is it diesel?
12:05Yes.
12:06I saw an eyebrow raise when you started.
12:09Well, they are noisy, aren't they?
12:11They are noisy.
12:12Yeah.
12:13I think I started off by saying that, you know, I'm not celebrity minded and I don't
12:17care what I drive.
12:18I'm going to end up thinking, well, it's a bit noisy and it's not quite fast enough.
12:34So, let's find out what he thinks of our first car.
12:41If I said the words coupe and cabriolet, or CC for short, does that give you a clue?
12:46This car continued the growing trend for electric folding metal roofs, which started with the
12:52Mercedes SLK, except this car cost under 16 grand new.
12:57But what will Stephen think of the Peugeot 206 CC?
13:01Well, Steve, the first car of the day, the Peugeot 206 CC.
13:04I mean, first of all, what about the looks of this car?
13:07Does it look good with the roof up and down, do you think?
13:10I think it would grow on you to actually, for the roof to be up.
13:15Down it looks fantastic.
13:16It does, doesn't it?
13:17Yeah, it looks really smooth.
13:18I think with the roof up, it looks a little bit, something not quite right there, maybe.
13:22It's a little strange.
13:23The front end looks wonderful and the back, a little bit quirky.
13:28Yeah, a little bit.
13:30What about the price of these things?
13:31I mean, they're about £15,000 new for a two litre model like this.
13:35Same engine as you get in the GTI, 138bhp, two litre, and what does it feel like to drive?
13:40Does it feel quick?
13:41It feels quite quick.
13:43Something that I would imagine would be quite comfortable on the motorway.
13:46I would think so.
13:47As well as, you know, with the roof up.
13:51I mean, the back seats in this, to be honest, are a bit of a waste of time because they're
13:56very upright and I wouldn't fancy sitting in the back of that.
13:59I don't think you could sit behind me.
14:02I don't think there's any room at all because I've always got mates and whatever we take
14:06out as well.
14:07You wouldn't get an oven in the back, would you?
14:08No.
14:09No chance.
14:10They're all as big as me.
14:12The 206cc started out as a show car.
14:15The 20 heart concept was unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show.
14:19Thankfully, the car trick name was dropped and three years later, the little convertible
14:24appeared on our shores as the 206cc.
14:28Available with two engines, a two litre petrol from the 206 GTI and a less powerful 1.6 petrol.
14:35So why should you buy a Peugeot 206cc?
14:37Well, the electrically retractable steel hood offers all the thrills of open air motoring
14:43without the security worries of a conventional fabric roof.
14:51Find a two litre SE model like this and you get everything as standard.
14:55CD player, power steering, central locking and climate control.
14:59And even now, two or three years after the launch of the 206cc, it still looks a pretty
15:04cool car to be in, albeit a bit girly.
15:08So what should Stephen be paying for a good 206cc?
15:11Early 1.6 litre models can be picked up for around £8,000, while a 2002 52 plate two
15:17litre SE will still fetch around £12,000.
15:20For £10,000, we recommend Stephen go for a 2001 two litre SE.
15:26He should be able to find a low mileage example and will benefit from the extra power the
15:31two litre unit provides.
15:33But what will Stephen think of Peugeot's 206cc?
15:36Well, Steve, that's the first car for you driven, Peugeot 206cc.
15:41What are your impressions?
15:42Thoroughly enjoyed it.
15:43I mean, it looks fantastic from the front.
15:46Looks quite mean when you come low down, doesn't it?
15:47Yeah, it certainly does.
15:49I think overall, maybe the colours don't help.
15:52Maybe look a little bit girly-ish.
15:53Yeah, a nice black one of those would look alright.
15:55That'd be nice, yeah.
15:56Yeah?
15:57Two litre, I think, is definitely the one to go for.
15:58I mean, I think the 1.6 in this will be a bit underpowered.
16:01It's quite a heavy car, isn't it?
16:02Yeah, I mean, it felt really well built and quite heavy, and I think if you do have a
16:06smaller engine in, you won't get the same effect when you're driving it, really.
16:10So quite keen on that.
16:11Yeah.
16:12Well, Ian, a tempting alternative, though that is.
16:14I have a sneaky suspicion that Paul is going to go for one of my cars.
16:18This one.
16:19The Peugeot 306 GTI6.
16:21Once he's driven it, that is.
16:23So let's give it a go, yeah?
16:24Yeah, let's.
16:38This is a very nice car.
16:43It looks good.
16:45You know, as I said right at the very beginning of the show, they've always held a little
16:51place in my heart for these 306s.
16:54It handles beautifully.
16:57It inspires me with confidence.
16:59I want to just sort of like throw it around bends, feel the tyres slipping and sliding,
17:04you know, really push this car to its limits because you feel that that's what you want
17:08to do with it.
17:13During the 1990s, a lot of car manufacturers were thrashing around trying to come up with
17:17halfway decent hot hatches and generally failing miserably.
17:22But there was one company which was getting it right time after time.
17:26It was the French company Peugeot, who had the 106, the 206 and the 306 GTI.
17:32And in the case of the 306 GTI, he was a car that was genuinely engineered for both fun
17:38and refinement.
17:40And what about the interior?
17:42Well, it's typical French fare, to be honest, all rather plasticky.
17:46But this car has something rather different because it says here six.
17:52So this car must have a six speed gearbox.
17:55A 306 GTI with a six speed gearbox.
17:58What can it all possibly mean?
18:03It means that this is a special Peugeot 306 GTI.
18:07This is the 306 GTI six.
18:09Now, this is one rare car.
18:11You see lots of standard 306 GTIs around, but not many of these.
18:16It's got uprated brakes and suspension.
18:18It's got a storming two litre 167 brake horsepower engine.
18:22If you wanted a car to use on the track as well, this is the one to go for.
18:27And by the way, it'll beat the pants off a Golf GTI.
18:37What I would say to you is a second hand buy, Peugeot, it's quite an interesting point
18:42because they seem to age very rapidly and then just stop.
18:45The initial wear and tear does knock a few edges and corners off.
18:49But then they'll stay exactly the same for years and years and years,
18:52even with huge interstellar mileages.
18:54You're actually getting a car that is surprisingly sturdy.
19:07Well, that was a little more positive.
19:33It was.
19:34It's a cracking car.
19:36It really is fantastic.
19:37I love the six speed box and the engine.
19:41It's very, very responsive and it feels really sporty.
19:45However, the car really lets itself down on its interior.
19:49You don't like that, do you?
19:50No, the dash, I mean, it's not really appalling, but it just could be better.
19:56In at number five is the second contender from our Gaelic friends across the channel,
20:00the Peugeot 406.
20:02If you and your family regularly find yourselves travelling the length and breadth of the country,
20:06visiting relatives, going on holiday, then the 406 could be the car for you.
20:11Peugeot's strength has always been its ride and handling,
20:14and combined with the standard cruise control, motorway miles will fly by effortlessly.
20:19The seats are extremely comfortable thanks to their fine adjustments
20:22and the recently updated airy cabin gives you and the kids a pleasant environment
20:27to help you feel relaxed and comfortable on those long journeys.
20:30If badge snobbery isn't high on your list of priorities,
20:33then you'll find your money will buy a top spec 406 for the same price as a standard Audi, Merc or BMW.
20:40Running costs are also kind to your pocket, but do watch out when you come to sell on your 406.
20:45Its growing popularity as a fleet car means they are losing their residual values fast.
20:51Now as much as we like to get a bit of top-down motoring action as soon as the sun comes out here in the UK,
20:57to be honest, it's not totally practical. Let me demonstrate.
21:03Because not only do you need a convertible car and a sunny day,
21:07you also need a daft woolly hat, a scarf, some gloves and the world's thickest padded coat.
21:13But since this Peugeot 206 CC is so absolutely gorgeous and I am willing to suffer for my art,
21:19I'm going to pretend that it's 90 degrees in the shade and I'm in lovely, sunny Spain.
21:44And now I'm languishing around here in the sunshine, I better tell you about how the car performs.
21:52Well, for a convertible, it really does feel quite stable.
21:55And this is because it gets off to a great start chassis-wise, being based on the ever popular 206 GTI.
22:03Now as with any drop-top, when you get onto the more bumpy, windy, morning roads like this one,
22:08there is a certain amount of body rattle and shake,
22:11but it doesn't detract from the wonderful experience of soft-top driving.
22:17I mean, it's fantastic, it's lovely and warm and I'm not cold at all. Honestly.
22:24All that said, there's plenty of room up front to stretch out, spread out and...
22:30Look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I can't go on anymore. Sorry.
22:36I am bloomin' freezing, so I've got to change my clothes.
22:40I've got to get a bit of a break, because I'm freezing.
22:44I'm freezing.
22:45I'm freezing.
22:46I'm freezing.
22:47I'm freezing.
22:48I'm freezing.
22:49I'm freezing.
22:50I'm freezing.
22:51I'm freezing.
22:52So, I've got a choice.
22:54I can either put all my snowman gear back on and soldier on,
22:58I can put in the car in the garage until I thaw out a bit,
23:01or I can get my car together and get a much more practical coupe.
23:08I think it's coupe time.
23:10Watch this.
23:13The hood stowage area actually hides a very nifty, clever fold-down metal roof.
23:19So, in effect, we've got two cars in one.
23:22A coupe and a convertible, hence the name Toyota 206 GTI.
23:38Now, with the roof on, this car feels a lot more like the 206 GTI that it's based on,
23:44but it's not as nippy or as agile.
23:46But then again, this 2.0-litre engine has got more weight to pull around
23:49with the roof system and the reinforced chassis.
23:54Now, at the moment, this car is only available in a 2.0-litre version,
23:58and that's going to set you back a sunny £16,000,
24:02which is two grand more than the Renault Megane convertible.
24:05But then again, this car is a lot more practical for all-year-round usage.
24:11The good news is there's going to be a 1.6-litre version available soon,
24:15and that's going to be around £1,500 cheaper.
24:28Well, for me at least, this time of year is not time for driving around with the hood down.
24:33But could I live with this car all year round?
24:36Yeah, I reckon I probably could.
24:37It certainly looks fantastic, and it's from good heritage.
24:40And with this metal top rather than the normal material soft top,
24:44it's a much more secure option.
24:46But if you really want me to drive it back with the hood down...
24:52Roll on, August!
25:06Now, I have to say, I'm a sucker for a soft top.
25:09Wind in your hair, blue bottles in your teeth, that's for me.
25:14But there's always a downside.
25:16Now, I'm a veteran of British sports cars for more years than I care to remember.
25:20And first, there's the hood.
25:22First, you've got to find the hood sticks.
25:24You've got to stick them together. You've got to get them in the right slot.
25:27Then there's this great flapping array of canvas with the lift-the-dot fasteners
25:32and the zutz turn keys that rip your thumbnail off at a stroke.
25:37But nowadays, of course, things are pretty different.
25:46Because this is the Peugeot 206 Coupe Cabriolet.
25:50And with the tip of a pinky on a switch, the hydraulics and electrics swing into action,
25:55and the hard top folds away.
25:58Couldn't be easier, really, could it?
26:02One day. One day.
26:12It's amazing how the image of Peugeot has changed over the years.
26:16They used to be manufacturers of worthy, durable, but dull cars for the French middle class.
26:23And they were going down the slippery slope towards oblivion and bankruptcy.
26:27And then along came the 205, and that changed everything.
26:31It was youthful. It was fast. It was light. It was cheerful.
26:36And in GTI mode, it was the ultimate hooligans' roller skate.
26:40And the 205 almost single-handedly changed the whole image of Peugeot.
26:46Well, now this, the 206 Coupe, is the latest example of their appeal to young people.
26:53And it's not quite as tightly strapped down as the 206 GTI, so the ride's a bit softer.
27:04However, it's still got that 206 skateboard feel.
27:08Pin-sharp steering, instant response from the wheel, and tremendous grip.
27:12Brakes are good, too. It gets ABS as standard with EBFD,
27:17an electronic system that gives you maximum brake performance in an emergency.
27:22With the roof up like this, it feels like a conventional saloon.
27:34There's an annoying wind rustle around the back of the hard top.
27:39The trouble with taking the top off a monocoque car like this is that you inevitably reduce the rigidity of the body shell.
27:50And this car does have some scuttle shake and vibration at the top of the windscreen when the top is down.
27:57It's not bad, though, and certainly not as bad as the 306 Cabriolet, for example.
28:20We've changed cars, and this one is fitted with the red interior.
28:32Red leather really looks good, and I think is an ideal colour combination.
28:37Peugeot described the car as a coupe Cabriolet, and in coupe form like this.
28:43There are a couple of occasional seats in the back, but you wouldn't want adults to sit in them for too long.
28:49And with the top off and folded back into the boot, you effectively lose half your luggage space.
28:56So if you're into long-distance touring with the top down, then you certainly don't want two kids in the back,
29:02because you're going to need all that space for your bags.
29:12Peugeot first showed this as a concept car in Geneva two years ago.
29:16The press liked it, and so did the public, so they decided to build it.
29:19And they've done very well in engineering terms to get it to market this quickly.
29:23The lines are pretty similar to 206, except the windscreen comes further back with much more of a sweep.
29:30And the bulkhead at the top here is actually quite close to your forehead, and the screen pillars are very thick indeed.
29:36Colours are interesting, and Peugeot provides you with their recommendations for the internal trim.
29:44You notice you can have green, grey, black, blue, but if you choose the red one, then you can only have grey and black coloured seats.
29:53If I had a red one, I'd want red seats for goodness sake.
29:57At the end of the day, you've got to decide whether you want a coupe like this, or a more traditional Mazda MX-5 or MGF.
30:04Personally, I'd take the Mazda MX-5, but then I'm a boring old sports car traditionalist.
30:14It is beautiful, isn't it?
30:37When Peugeot commissioned Pininfarina to design the new 406 coupe, it must have been like lighting the touch paper on a firework, sitting back and waiting.
30:45And when the ensuing explosion arrived, they must have been delighted.
30:49It does withstand closer examination like any piece of sculpture, and these small buttresses down the rear of the window architecture hint at something special.
30:57The clean lines of the rear are continued around the sides with just a subtle swelling at the haunches,
31:01and then little else down the sides to the front of the car, where the nose is quietly confident and assertive, perhaps, rather than overtly aggressive.
31:09These lines down the bonnet, well, you don't even notice them until you stare closely at the front of the car, and they define the shape of the front of the car.
31:16It's all very subtle and very elegant, and results in a very beautiful car,
31:20which makes it all the more surprising that Peugeot decided to kit it out with the interior from an old Parisian taxi.
31:29The dash is more or less taken straight from the standard 406, the only real difference being these chrome bezels surrounding the dials, which is hardly the stuff of fantasy.
31:38Then underneath, we have a strata of this odd, shiny, scratchy plastic, and then right underneath, on the centre console,
31:45we have a reappearance of the dreaded elephant hide plastic that's seen adorning the interior of the 206, and I don't like it at all.
31:52Mind you, it is a genuine four-seater, there's room in the back of the car for two proper grown-ups,
31:57and there's a really neat trick for getting them in and out.
32:00Forward, and back, and forward, and back.
32:06I'm sure I could break it eventually, but it would probably take me ages.
32:10So, is it just a pretty face? Is all of this just make-up, or is its beauty more than skin deep,
32:15as the 406 Coupe got what it takes to cut the mustard when you hit the road.
32:21In short, yes, it has. This is the 3.0-litre V6 engine version, an engine that actually makes an appearance in a great many cars.
32:29There's the Atlantic Venturi, a French supercar, the Renault Espace and Laguna, to name but a few,
32:34and then, of course, the 406 Saloon and Coupe.
32:37Though I have to say, for whatever reason, it seems to make the least interesting noise in this car of all the other cars that it's fitted to.
32:43That said, it is a stonker of an engine. There's bags of torque,
32:46and once you get it fully on song, it does start to make a reasonably attractive snarl as you progress at speed.
32:52Otherwise, the chassis feels fluid and compliant, and is a pleasant drive, whilst being sporty at the same time.
32:58You are aware of that long wheelbase. It's quite a nice car to progress swiftly,
33:02rather than, perhaps, cane it round the very tightest of roads.
33:05The steering is precise, though I don't like the angle of the steering wheel.
33:09It's tilted too far this way. It feels rather like driving a truck at times.
33:13And the gear lever seems to have the longest throw imaginable.
33:17You need arms about six foot long.
33:19That said, once you engage the gear, it does sneak in quite nicely for you.
33:23Peugeot are very good at building drivers' cars. They prove it time and time again.
33:27And it's just as well that the 406 is no exception, given the car's sporty looks.
33:42But I'd like to introduce an annoying pseudo-philosophical argument here.
34:07The 406 Coupe is a beautiful car.
34:10But it's also a mainstream car, and beauty is seldom mainstream.
34:14Some of the cars acknowledged to be the most beautiful in the world,
34:17well, part of their appeal is due to their rarity and exclusivity.
34:21Now, the 406 Coupe might be the kind of car that sends the fleet manager disappearing to the toilet with a picture of it,
34:27but it can hardly claim to be any sort of piece of automotive exotica.
34:31That's what's led it to become almost invisible on the road.
34:35When I first saw it at a motor show, I was stunned that Peugeot could produce such a beautiful car.
34:40Now, not far down the road, it's become just another company car, precisely because Peugeot make it.
34:46I'm sure there's a conclusion to be drawn from that.
34:48Damned if I know what it is, though.
34:50Its beauty is more than skin deep.
34:52The handling is exploitable without being challenging.
34:55The engine's strong, and the face, well, gorgeous.
34:58Price-wise, at between 20 and 27 grand,
35:00it does sit rather awkwardly between more cheap and ordinary coupes,
35:04and the likes of the Volvo C70, the BMW 3 Series Coupe, Saab 9-3, Mercedes CLK,
35:10and, of course, the Ford Kuga.
35:12And it is always going to be let down and hampered by its miserable interior,
35:16and by its almost impossible good looks that render it pretty much invisible in a crowd,
35:21in much the same way that some supermodels complain that no one ever has the nerve to chat them up in bars.
35:27Meet Danny Watts. He's a 22-year-old racing driver from Silverstone,
35:31currently leading the Formula Renault Championship,
35:33and expected to go on to great things in the future.
35:36But, a little more back down to earth,
35:38he needs to buy something a bit more orderly to get to and from work.
35:42In his case, racing circuits all over the country.
35:45Danny, welcome to the show.
35:47Three cars lined up, you know the form.
35:49We'll go through all of them, you'll drive them, have a look and see which one may or may not fit the bill.
35:52They're all reasonably hot hatches.
35:54First up, Citroën Saxo, it's the VTR, which is the eight valve version,
35:58and it's well within budget, it's only about 7,800 quid.
36:01Obviously, you know the Saxo.
36:03Yeah, I've seen a lot of them about, a lot of boy racers drive them.
36:07I mean, the main thing for me, obviously, is insurance,
36:09and this is the cheapest for me to insure.
36:12So, that's the main priority for me to take into account.
36:15But at the same time, I'm looking forward to driving it.
36:17Yeah, it wants to be a bit special. We'll give that one a go.
36:19Insurance must be quite fun for you when they say,
36:21Hello, Mr. Watts, what's your profession?
36:23Racing driver. I bet they love you.
36:25I know.
36:26Seat Ibiza Cupra, it's the hot one.
36:28Quite a sporty thing, a bit unusual, don't see many around.
36:31No, it looks nice, doesn't it, from the outside.
36:34Interior also, middle console, it's got a small sports steering wheel.
36:39Leather interior, and there's plenty of room, luggage-wise,
36:42for my kit, my racewear, helmet, bags, brochures, etc.
36:45So, there's a lot of good things about this car.
36:47Excellent. Well, let's move on to the third one.
36:49More familiar territory for more of us, Peugeot 206 GTI.
36:53Yeah, I think this is going to be a bit more user-friendly for me,
36:56getting to and from the circuits, obviously.
36:59Not a lot of room for my luggage or my sponsors in the back
37:03taking to and from the hotel circuit.
37:05So, I don't know, I'm going to have to weigh the three options up, aren't I?
37:08All right, well, at about nine grand,
37:09this kind of splits the difference between the two, price-wise.
37:11We'll give this one a go first, OK?
37:13And while we get ready to go driving, and you're going to be gentle,
37:16I hope, Ian Royal has got more details for us on the Peugeot.
37:20The Peugeot GTI models have had a long and illustrious past,
37:24dating right back to the very first 205 GTI,
37:28which was probably the hot hatchback of the 1980s and into the 1990s.
37:33So, when its successor, this car, the 206 GTI, came about,
37:38everyone was, well, slightly disappointed, to be honest.
37:42Here was a car that was a bit bigger, more luxurious, sure,
37:46but it put on more weight,
37:48and wasn't quite as nimble and as sharp to drive as the 205 was.
37:52But don't get me wrong, this car is no slouch.
37:55Top speed is 140 miles an hour,
37:57and it will get to 60 in just eight seconds.
38:00But forget about paying £14,000 for a brand-new car.
38:05Save yourself thousands and buy a used one instead.
38:12I tend to think that Peugeot were always on a bit of a hiding to nothing,
38:16trying to replace the 205 GTI with a car which was as good, if not better,
38:20and it certainly should have been better.
38:22So the 206 GTI did come in for some criticism.
38:25What about the inside of the car?
38:27Well, it's roomy, there are some good points and some bad points.
38:30I like the seats, the leather and the Alcantara combination,
38:33but this sort of elephant-high dashboard looks a bit naff, to be honest.
38:37But it's well-equipped, you get a lot of standard kit on it,
38:40and the good news is that if you buy a used car, it will hold its value very well.
38:45Thanks, Ian.
38:47Actually, you've been quite gentle. I was seriously scared.
38:49Racing driver, hot hatches, thought it might get a bit nasty.
38:52No.
38:53Are you reasonably sensible on the road?
38:54Chilled out on the road, it's everyone else you've got to watch out for.
38:57What do you reckon of the 206 GTI?
38:59206 GTI's first impressions, I would say that the car is very light-steering,
39:04which is good, of course, because it makes it easy to drive.
39:08The pedal's very responsive, the throttle's very responsive.
39:11The brakes are a little bit light and not so responsive, I'd say.
39:15A bit sort of, I don't know, not a positive feel.
39:19And the gears are very, very sort of notchy, if you like.
39:23It's very easy to feel the gaits on every gear change.
39:29Obviously, I'm going to be driving it up and down the country on the motorways
39:32to the different circuits all the time, visiting sponsors.
39:35And the interior, I've got to say, is appalling.
39:37It's very plasticky.
39:38There's, you know, it doesn't appeal to you.
39:40Nothing jumps out.
39:41It's very, you know, the buttons are very bland.
39:44It's not a sporty image on the inside.
39:47The seats are, I wouldn't say they hug you.
39:49They're not particularly comfortable.
39:52Interior's a disappointment.
40:06If you were to be watching us a few weeks ago,
40:09you'd have seen us down at the International Motor Show, down at Birmingham,
40:12where we was looking at a lot of the new vehicles down there.
40:15One of those in particular was the new Peugeot
40:34was the new Peugeot Boxer that was on launch. Today we've got it here to road test it. So
40:40let's see what it goes like, shall we? The vehicle itself has a very good appearance.
40:49Outside, the styling is very sleek, it looks aerodynamic. It's the sort of thing you certainly
40:54wouldn't mind being seen to drive in. Interior is extremely comfortable. As we've seen, plenty
41:00of cubby holes, a nice big dashboard, plenty of places to put all your bits and pieces,
41:05and it does turn out to be a very roomy cab indeed.
41:13Now as we can see, this particular vehicle is a semi-high top. Now it has nine cubic
41:18metres of load space in the back, and above us, a very nifty little luggage rack there.
41:24Behind me, a nice little safety cage. Now in the cabin, we've got a lot of new luggage
41:28space here for all our documents, cup holders, and this very nifty fold-down clipboard.
41:36Now this particular vehicle is a 2.8 HDI engine. Now that's producing some 127 brake horsepower.
41:45That's a lot of performance for a small van like this. So I think the best thing we can
41:49do is take it for a road test and let's see how it performs.
41:58The suspension, which has all been modified, certainly does make a difference. The van
42:03feels nice, feels responsive, it doesn't sway about all over the place. It has fitted on
42:09the back axle an electronic sensor for cornering and braking, so it certainly does give you
42:14a bit more confidence. Fully loaded, going into a corner, this brakes all round, sensor
42:20on the back, you know you can brake with confidence.
42:27They do say that the padding and also the fitting of the exhaust system and the suspension
42:33has been specially fitted on new rubber mounts. It really does make a difference as far as
42:41sound is concerned. Although there's not a full bulkhead in this particular vehicle,
42:47it doesn't drum and you can hear the radio, if you've got the radio on, quite easily.
42:58The ride itself is very smooth. They did say they'd uprated the suspension and done lots
43:04of modifications on this vehicle and it certainly does feel like it.
43:09It has a very good price tag as well. At the moment there are a lot of options on these
43:16vehicles. There is quite a bit of discount available and you're looking at this particular
43:21vehicle at 19 grand, which isn't a bad price for a vehicle of this size.
43:28We've got three diesel engines in this particular vehicle. They do a two litre, 2.2 litre and
43:34a 2.8 litre. Now the power range is very impressive from 192 newton metres at 1900 rpm right the
43:42way through to 300 newton metres at 1800 rpm. We've also got a good towing capacity of 5,500
43:50kilograms.
43:53We've road tested the vehicle and we've looked over it. With all the new suspension, brakes
43:58and steering parts on this, it certainly does live up to its press release. But with all
44:02the options to purchase this vehicle, will it actually knock the Ford Transit off the
44:06number one spot? Only time will tell. And would you be a buyer of one of these?
44:13The Peugeot 205 was one of the great motoring icons of the 1980s and early 90s. We British
44:19took to the supermini like a Frenchman to his bottle of wine. What we most liked about
44:25the 205 was, of course, the hot hatchback, the 205 GTI. First in 1.6 and later, the cooking
44:331.9 version. It was a car to have fun in and could beat the pants off rivals like the XR2.
44:42The 205 has not been available in Britain for some two years now because Peugeot have
44:46been spending very heavily on the 205's successor. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the
44:52imaginatively titled Peugeot 206. Now, Peugeot have spent some four years and £630 million
45:02developing the 206. It's a lot of time. It's a lot of dosh. This car has to be absolutely
45:08spot on. What's more, it's being built at the Wrightham plant near Coventry in Britain.
45:13So it's French flair and British hands that are building this car every day.
45:20The 206 sits on an entirely new platform with a range of body styles, three and five door
45:26hatchbacks plus a coupe cabriolet due in a couple of years' time. Now, Peugeot have had
45:30to be very careful how they position the 206 into their ever-expanding range. The 106 is
45:37now a super supermini, the 306 a small car, and this new 206 takes on the mantle supermini.
45:45And in so doing, Peugeot have taken the guillotine to parts of the 106 and 306 ranges, with the
45:52upper 106s being chopped and the lower model 306s also destined for the wicker basket.
45:58This is a car which will take on the new Clio, the Polo, the ageing Fiesta, Corsa and Punto
46:05in an already crowded market. And to do that, it has to look good, feel good and be great
46:11to drive. Now, before you drive the 206, first you have to look at it and like it.
46:18Breathe in deeply, get that Gallic whiff. Think of all the packs of Joutane cigarettes
46:23that were smoked by the designers when they were working on it. It has a very French look
46:28to it. I always think that French cars have a certain look and style all of their own
46:32and this is no different. It has the new Peugeot house style too, swept back headlights and
46:37bonnet at the front and this high roofline here in the centre which gives excellent headroom.
46:47Now inside the 206, the interior is functional without being outlandish. Everything is nicely
46:52laid out and easily at hand. This centre part here, as well as housing this enormous hazard
46:58warning light, which unfortunately you have to reach for a little bit, also houses a display
47:03which will give you satellite navigation should you choose it as an option on the options
47:09list for the 206 and that's a first for a car of this particular size. The plastics
47:14disappoint though. Interior trim generally is very good. There are lots of different
47:18styles to choose from and this Alcantara one in this particular model is very smart.
47:25The 206 will be available initially in four trim levels, L, LX, GLX and a so-called sporty
47:32XS in three or five doors with four different engines to choose from. The entry 1.1 is 60
47:39brake horsepower, the 1.4 70 horsepower, the 1.6 90 horsepower and a 1.9 turbo diesel which
47:47pumps out a heart-stopping 70 brake horsepower. Prices range from £8,495 for the three-door
47:551.1 L up to £11,295 for the five-door 206 GLX 1.6 litre with air conditioning and these
48:05prices are pretty much what you would expect to pay. There's no GTI yet but we should see
48:11a two litre 136 brake horsepower unit in 1999 plus maybe a really cooking GTI 6 is rumoured
48:19to be on the cards but it's wait and see on that I'm afraid. So if you like the look of
48:26the 206 you particularly want to know how it drives and that basically is very good.
48:30This is the 1.6 that we've been driving for the past couple of days and this has a slightly
48:35firmer sportier suspension than say the base 1.1 model which gives it a nice feel. The
48:42gearbox is crisp and light and easy to use, the power steering nicely weighted and the
48:47handling on the whole generally good. Push it hard into a corner and you'll come out
48:51safely the other side. The engines, well there's a wide range of engines, 1.1, 1.4, 1.6. You
48:58need to rev them hard and they're very responsive, nice buzzy engines too. The 1.1 I would suspect
49:04though with only 60 brake horsepower will run out of steam very easily. Specification
49:10is high with standard on all models, power steering, height adjustable steering column,
49:15as well as airbag, radio cassette, immobiliser and tinted glass. Plus apart from the base
49:21L model you can choose to have either a glass sunroof or air conditioning and in what must
49:26be a first for this class of car on the top GLX model, a fully integrated satellite navigation
49:33system for just £800. Has it ever been cheaper? Peugeot have done some research into the small
49:41car market and predict that it's going to grow significantly in the UK in the next few
49:46years. Now European countries and European cities really love their small cars whereas
49:51perhaps in the UK in the big cities we find ourselves driving around in larger vehicles
49:56and 4x4s. Peugeot think that that could change and they're very handily placed to pick up
50:02that change with their 106 and 306 and now with this new 206.
50:09So have Peugeot come up with a winner in the new 206? Well almost certainly yes. The styling
50:15is good, there's plenty of room inside for the passengers. Some would say it's a radical
50:20car. On the downside at the moment are the engines which lack a bit of response and quite
50:25frankly lack a bit of oomph. You might be better going with say a Ford Fiesta. However
50:30there is a GTI on the way if that's what it's going to be called and when that arrives maybe
50:36then we'll see the 206 as a worthy successor to the 205, the much missed 205 and that is
50:43a compliment in itself.
51:06Thanks for watching!